Want To Provide Free Internet In Your Business? Here's What You Need To Know

From cafes to legal firms, most businesses today offer free WiFi. But wireless internet isn't an entirely unmetered resource, and there may be some consequences to trying to provide free internet service to everyone in your company. Here are a few important tips.

Make Sure Your Internet Is Protected

You should have a separate network for guests, and you should make sure that your guests need a password to sign in. This will protect your internal network from your guests and will protect your guests from potentially malicious users. Your internal WiFi will also be discoverable, so make sure it has a complex enough password.

Consider Adding a Repeater

Often, a wireless router is situated where the bulk of employees are. And this can mean that the WiFi signal is quite low when it comes to the areas where people are passing through or waiting. In particularly large buildings, a repeater can help. A repeater just boosts the signal of your existing WiFi so it's accessible further away.

Take a Look at Your Speed

If your company relies heavily on data, you may not have enough bandwidth to support a lot of users. Consider upgrading your internet service to compensate for both your employees and your guests, or limit the number of guests logged in to a static number.

Make It Easy to Connect

While you may want to keep your guest password secure, it can be frustrating for people to ask someone about the password for the WiFi all the time. Instead, make it easy to connect by providing a scannable QR code somewhere inside of your property, or just have a placard somewhere near a front desk.

Consider Your Policies

Some businesses such as cafes require that people make a purchase before they jump on WiFi. Other businesses require that they be members and make them log into a portal. It depends on your business model. While WiFi often has to be accessible, it doesn't have to be completely free. This is mostly a concern if you think that people will come into your business solely for free WiFi rather than to act as customers.

Offering WiFi has become standard; most people expect that they will be able to jump onto the WiFi when they're at a business. But there are security and performance-related challenges that need to be addressed. By following the above tips, you should be able to keep your business performing well while still providing WiFi to your guests.

Contact a company like DigitalPath, Inc. to learn more about their wireless internet options.